


My Commitment to You

by wasatch_97



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged up characters, Alternate Universe - College/University, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Huang Ren Jun & Lee Donghyuck | Haechan Are Best Friends, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Sex, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan-centric, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Sad Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, but not really, donghyuck just wants love, fake relationships, lots of bad references, mark is figuring himself out, mark is possessive, markhyuck, renjun is goals, underaged drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-27 03:36:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17759042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wasatch_97/pseuds/wasatch_97
Summary: Donghyuck is willing to do just about anything for Mark Lee.Or:Donghyuck thinks it's a wonderful idea to fake date the boy who drinks black coffee at eight at night, Mark has some issues he needs to sort out, and Renjun just wants to feed his carnivorous plants in peace.





	My Commitment to You

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to this mess of a fic- this will be a wild ride, please hold on.

There were three things that Donghyuck loved. One, his parents. Seeing as how they had raised and supported him, getting him this far in life, it was a given (Donghyuck loved them to the moon and back, always making sure to drop off a jar of pickles with them when he visited because he knew they ran out weirdly quickly and didn’t like to shop). 

The second was Renjun, Donghyuck’s cynical and sarcastic best friend who had a habit of picking up on people’s worst traits and using them against them. A scary human, but he sure did love his pet hamster named Angel (Renjun had a strange love for _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ ) and Dippin’ Dots. 

The third was Mark Lee. Mark Lee, a boy - no, man - Donghyuck had known for more than half of his life. Friends joined at the hip in middle school even though there was a year age difference, but they had such a strong friendship that Donghyuck had decided to work as hard as he could in school so that he would be accepted into the same university Mark was going to in Seoul. Donghyuck was never one to commit to anything, whether it was agreeing to feed Renjun’s carnivorous plants for the month the older boy was vacationing in China or choosing a major in university. But somehow he found himself giving up the safety of his life-long home to move to a new city to study in. Which had nothing at all to do with his friend who he may have had the tiniest (redacted: fattest) crush on for some (the longest) time. 

Talk about commitment. 

The first few months of city living were rough on Donghyuck, but he got used to it. He lived in the school dorms, Mark having rented an apartment off campus, but they still saw each other almost every day. A year had passed and nothing much had changed, Mark and Donghyuck still meeting frequently, catching movies together and hanging out like the “bros they were.” Then half way through Donghyuck’s sophomore year Renjun transferred to a nearby university because they were offering a better astronomy program than the one back home. He didn’t go to the same school, but was close enough for Donghyuck to take the bus over to Renjun’s dorm whenever to eat funyuns and rant about boys or the new episode of _Shadowhunters_. Whichever one came up first. 

Flash forward another year, into Donghyuck’s junior year, that’s when it began. The countdown leading to Lee Donghyuck’s total destruction. 

Mark Lee had always been straight. So Donghyuck had tried to force himself to get used to the idea of his crush with a girl. And Mark had had a few girlfriends, Donghyuck had met them all, being the certified “best friend,” and had even walked in on Mark intensely making out with one of them. Not a pretty sight. 

But he wasn’t prepared for this. 

“Donghyuck,” Mark panted, searching the floor for his shirt and trying to cover himself with it, but not doing much to hide the grand scheme of things. “What are you doing here?” 

“I-I,” Donghyuck stuttered, looking anywhere but Mark’s bare torso and the almost nude man underneath him on Mark’s couch. “I was dropping off some food, you didn’t answer the door or your phone so I used the spare key,” he held up the paper bag of leftovers and key in his hands, proving his point, “I didn’t know you were into guys,” he gestured blindly to the couple, eyes catching on the purple hickies blooming along the underside of Mark’s jaw. 

“I’m experimenting,” Mark shrugged, “could we catch up some other time? Preferably while I don’t have a guest over?” 

“Yeah, I-I’ll just, I’ll go,” Donghyuck mumbled, rushing out of Mark’s apartment, the door thumping shut behind him. 

It wasn't like Donghyuck was a virgin in any way, he had had his first kiss with some boy in grade eight during spin the bottle at a party and lost his virginity to Kim Hajun in the back of said boy’s volkswagen senior year of high school. His back still hurt every once in a while; car sex wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. 

But somehow Mark made Donghyuck feel shy and nervous. Donghyuck could still remember Renjun laughing at him and blasting Madonna through his speakers when he had told him about his feelings. It just couldn’t be helped. 

But the whole concept of Mark suddenly “experimenting.” It meant so many things, and most importantly, that Mark didn’t like him back, or he would have talked to Donghyuck, not go off sleeping with some random guy. Donghyuck didn’t know what was worse; his crush being straight or his crush not being attracted to him in the slightest. 

“God, Injun, what do I do?” Donghyuck moaned, staring at the ceiling of the older boy’s dorm room from where he was lying on the floor. 

“Become a monk,” Renjun said decidedly, kicking Donghyuck in the side as he walked past with a socked foot, “men aren’t worth our time and effort.” 

Donghyuck sat up, staring glumly at Renjun who was watering his scarily large venus fly trap. “I just want someone, Jun, I have you and platonic Mark but I want something more, y’know?” 

Renjun hummed, putting down his mini watering bucket to poke at his almost foot tall pitcher plant. “You want someone to bone. Or someone to bone you.” 

“Crude as always,” Donghyuck sighed, playing with his hoodie string. “But it’s more than just that. I want all the gross couple-y stuff in all the movies or shows we watch. I’m tired of just daydreams.” 

Renjun turned to him. “Speed dating.” 

“What?” 

Renjun smiled, an actual genuine smile with no hint of evil. “I’m taking you speed dating, because I don’t like seeing my best friend looking so down in the dumps.” 

。.:☆*:･

“Hyung?” 

“Mhm?” Mark was sitting next to Donghyuck on the younger boy’s bed, Donghyuck refusing to go to Mark’s apartment and sit on the couch he had seen the older boy “doing it” on. His feet were resting on Mark’s thighs as he watched the computer screen from an angle. 

The younger boy sighed, pausing _Twilight_. “Renjun and I are going speed dating tomorrow.” 

Mark looked at Donghyuck for a moment, eyes searching for something in Donghyuck’s face. Whatever he saw had him turning back to the movie, pressing play. 

“Hyung,” Donghyuck whined, “what do you think?” 

Mark shrugged. “If you want to go, go.” 

“Do you think I’ll find someone?” Donghyuck asked, touching Mark’s arm. 

“I don’t know!” Mark shouted, slamming the laptop closed and standing up. “Go do whatever you want, you’re an adult. I’m going home.” 

He stormed out of the dorm, leaving Donghyuck sitting on the bed, eyes wide. He quickly grabbed his phone from where it was buried in the blankets and dialed his best friend. He was hit with the beep of the voice message, but that was to be expected from Renjun. 

_“You’ve reached, no, you’ve missed Huang Renjun, don’t leave a message ‘cause I don’t give a shit. Oh, if it’s you Donghyuck, I know you’re upset about the ending to_ Titanic, _aren’t we all, but Jack’s dead and there’s nothing you can do about it so stop spamming my phone with complaints. Love you. I’m talking to Donghyuck, not any of you other dumbshits. Peace out._ ” 

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “Jun, it’s Hyuck. The strangest thing just happened. If I’m not mistaken I could swear Mark is jealous I’m going speed dating. Call me back, and please change your voicemail message, what if your mother calls? Love you.” 

。.:☆*:･

“Donghyuck, the only light of my life, besides my darling rodent Angel, please stop worrying about this,” Renjun said, eating the whipped cream off of his frappuccino with a spoon. Donghyuck wrinkled his nose. Disgusting. “Speed dating will widen your opportunities, you might find someone who is good to you, willing to put up with all your shit, including your strange love for beanie babies.” 

“Don’t attack my beanie baby collection,” Donghyuck retorted, “and for the record, Mark puts up with them.” 

Renjun sighed, setting down his spoon. “Please? Just try for me, okay?” 

“Fine,” Donghyuck said, glancing at the clock. Almost eight at night. “I’ll try. But my break’s over and I have to get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow, seven o’clock at your school gym, right?” 

Renjun nodded and Donghyuck kissed his cheek. “Love ya, you hoe.” 

“Get back to work,” Renjun complained, slapping Donghyuck’s butt. “See you tomorrow.” 

Donghyuck walked back over to the cafe’s counter, stationing himself behind the register again. 

“You two are disgusting.” 

Donghyuck jumped, placing a hand over his racing heart. “Jesus, stop scaring me.” 

“Sorry,” Jisung replied from where he was sitting on the floor, apron bunched around his waist as he watched ASDF movies on his phone. “But you and Renjun hyung are gross.” 

“Excuse me, we’re friendship goals,” Donghyuck said, placing a hand on his hip. “And why do you always take your breaks on the floor where someone could trip over you?” 

Jisung shrugged, putting his phone away and standing up. “I despise people so I don’t want to sit in the cafe and the break room smells like weed.” 

“Fair enough,” Donghyuck responded, grabbing a cloth to wipe down the counter. 

“Mark hyung came in earlier,” Jisung said nonchalantly, immediately catching Donghyuck’s attention. 

“What did he say?” 

“Hi, can I take your order?” Jisung said, deflecting Donghyuck’s question. 

“Yeah, can I have a red eye?” 

“Who in the hell would order that so late at night,” Donghyuck mumbled, looking at the customer. It was a boy with pink hair who looked around his age, smiling happily at Jisung like getting his late night caffeine fix was the best part of his day. Donghyuck sighed, walking to the coffee machine to start his drink. Weirdo. 

“So Jisung, what did Mark say?” Donghyuck whined, tugging on the boy’s arm as he poured pink-hair’s drink into a cup with one hand. 

“He was looking for you, he didn’t know that you changed work schedules,” Jisung replied, “something about needing to see you before tomorrow? Watch out you’re about to overfill it!” Jisung grabbed the cup from Donghyuck, putting a lid on it. “Jesus, hyung, you almost spilt it.” 

“Sorry,” Donghyuck replied, mulling Jisung’s words over in his head as he walked to the pick up section. Mark was looking for him? He usually didn’t come to the cafe when Donghyuck was working. Did it maybe have to do with speed dating tomorrow? Donghyuck glanced down at the name written on the cup. “Na Jaemin?” 

“Yep!” 

Pink-hair was back, smiling at Donghyuck and taking the cup from his hands. “Thank you,” he glanced at Donghyuck’s name tag, “Donghyuck.” 

“No problem,” said boy replied, “have a nice night.” 

Pink-hair nodded, chugging down his drink in one go and tossing the cup away. Donghyuck stared at him bug-eyed. “Thanks again.” 

“No problem,” Donghyuck breathed. 

“Did he just drink that whole coffee in one go?” Jisung asked, making Donghyuck jump again. 

“He must not be human,” Donghyuck mused. 

。.:☆*:･

“Do I look okay?” Donghyuck asked, flattening out his white sweater. 

Renjun nodded. “Hot. You actually do have a fashion sense. Once you throw away that Michael Jackson shirt I’ll be thrilled.” 

“I’ll never get rid of MJ,” Donghyuck said, tugging at his ripped jeans. “Do you think the makeup is too heavy,” he asked, pointing to his eyes. 

Renjun shook his head. “No, the eyeliner looks great. Let’s go, we’re going to be late.” 

Donghyuck let the older boy pull him inside the gym. “So is this thing just for us gays?” Donghyuck asked, looking around at the other boys and girls. 

“Yep,” Renjun replied, “Now let’s grab seats so the boys can come to us.” 

“You’re disgusting,” Donghyuck said, but followed Renjun, sitting down in seats next to each other. 

“We’re going to start soon,” some man called through a speaker at the front of the room, “rotate in either the female group or male group, depending on your sexuality. The gong will but struck when it’s time for you to switch people. Good luck!” 

“A gong? What the fuck,” Donghyuck whispered, but a boy had already come up to Renjun. 

“Hi,” a boy called, making Donghyuck start. The boy had dark hair and big eyes. “I’m Gunwoo.” 

“Hi. I’m Donghyuck,” said he replied. 

“So, we’re supposed to say a few things about ourselves? I guess I’ll start.” 

“Go right on ahead.” 

Time had never passed slower for Donghyuck. Several boys had come and gone, and Donghyuck wanted nothing more than to fall asleep. “Jun, I swear if I have to listen to another person talk about camping I will die,” Donghyuck complained during the break time. “I hate camping. Hiking. Sports. The outdoors in general.” 

“Only a little while longer,” Renjun said, patting Donghyuck’s shoulder. “But I agree, these men really have no taste in pop culture.” 

The gong sounded and Donghyuck sighed, slouching into his chair. Who would be next. 

“Hi.” 

Donghyuck looked up, eyes widening. “Pink-hair.” 

The boy rolled his eyes. “Jaemin, actually.” 

Donghyuck grinned. “You’re the one who’s gonna die from a caffeine overdose.” 

“Sounds about right,” Jaemin snickered. “What are you doing here, Donghyuck?” 

“You remembered me,” Donghyuck said sarcastically, “I’m flattered.” 

“Indeed,” Jaemin replied, “I’m good with faces. So, why are you here?” 

“I need to get over someone and my friend thinks the best way to do it is by finding someone new,” Donghyuck answered, gesturing to Renjun who looked bored out of his mind as he listened to a guy ramble on about cooking. Donghyuck almost laughed, Renjun couldn’t cook for shit. 

“Then we’re in the same boat, my friend,” Jaemin said, catching Donghyuck’s attention again. “I need to get over my ex, but I am just a tad too in love with him to do so on my own.” 

Donghyuck closed his eyes. “I could swear Mark, my crush, was jealous when I told him about coming to speed dating, but I’m not certain.” 

“Hey,” Jaemin suddenly said, “I have a proposition.” 

“I’m listening,” Donghyuck replied. 

“A fake relationship. You and me. If there’s a possibility your man is jealous, then couldn’t there be a possibility Jeno, my ex, still loves me?” 

“But don’t fake relationships always end badly?” Donghyuck asked. 

Jaemin shrugged. “Listening to what you said, I think it’s our best course of action.” 

“Then let’s do it,” Donghyuck replied, smiling. “Act all couple-y in front of your ex and my crush. But I get to tell Renjun and Jisung, my closest friends. Is that okay?” 

Jaemin nodded. “If I get to tell my friend Chenle.” 

Donghyuck stuck out his hand, grinning at Jaemin. “It’s nice to meet you, fake boyfriend.” 

Jaemin laughed. “Right back at you.” 

。.:☆*:･

“I can’t believe you’re fake dating a boy,” Renjun said, lying on the younger’s bed. 

“I don’t know, it seems like a good opportunity,” Donghyuck said, leaning back in his desk chair, “Jaemin seems nice and we’re in similar situations.” 

“Just don’t let it get messy,” Renjun sighed. 

“Mhm,” Donghyuck muttered, typing away at an essay on his computer. 

“ _Donghyuck!_ ” 

Donghyuck nearly jumped out of his skin, elbow hitting his plastic jar of pencils that fell to the floor, the contents rolling under his bed. Mark stood in the doorway, slightly out of breath, eyes ablaze. Donghyuck almost regretted not locking his dorm door, he wasn’t expecting his crush to barge in, looking like he was out to draw blood. 

“Mark, what are you doing here?” Donghyuck asked quietly. 

“Renjun, would you give us a minute?” Mark asked, turning to the second oldest. 

“I was actually on my way out,” Renjun said, picking up his backpack and mouthing something along the lines of good luck to Donghyuck. 

“Mark, why are you here?” Donghyuck asked again once the door had closed behind Renjun. 

Mark walked over, grabbing Donghyuck’s desk chair by the armrests and dragging him across the floor so that he could sit on the younger boy’s bed with Donghyuck directly in front of him. “What the hell!” Donghyuck screeched. “If this chair didn’t have wheels you would have scratched the floor and I can’t afford to pay to have that fixed-” 

“But it didn’t.” Mark said, cutting him off. Donghyuck froze, not liking his icy tone. “Why didn’t you come see me the day before last?” 

“I was busy,” Donghyuck replied, “my shift ended late and I had classes the next day, plus the speed dating thing.” 

“And how did that go?” 

Donghyuck shrugged. “I met a guy, he’s really nice. We’re actually going out tonight so I have to leave in a few minutes.” 

“Oh.” Somehow, Mark almost looked dejected. 

“How about we hang out tomorrow?” Donghyuck asked, trying to lighten the mood. “Are you free?” 

“Yeah, it’s Saturday so I don’t have classes,” Mark agreed. “My apartment? We can watch _Doctor Who_.” 

Donghyuck wrinkled his nose. “I’m not going anywhere near that couch.” 

Mark rolled his eyes. “C’mon Hyuck, everything was moved to the bedroom after you left.” Donghyuck grimaced. “Are you really still worked up about that?” 

“No, it was just weird, seeing my friend getting it on with some guy. I didn’t even know you were gay.” 

Mark shrugged. “Just trying it out.” 

Donghyuck shook his head. “I’ll just text you when I come over. I guess the old days of popping by unannounced are over,” he chuckled dryly. 

“Hyuck,” Mark whispered, “you know nothing will replace you, right? You’re incredibly important to me.” 

_Not the most important, not anymore._

“We’re going to the carnival tomorrow,” Donghyuck said decidedly, brushing off Mark’s words and ignoring his hurt expression, as if he was expecting Donghyuck to reply. 

“Yeah, okay.” 

“And you’re paying.” 

“Donghyuck!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading! Please leave kudos and comments, ily all <3


End file.
